November MKG Meeting Wrap-Up!

Cheers to the holiday season! Here is a recap from our November meeting and event calendar for December!

Welcome to winter in Minnesota! The weather is finally turning the corner as I watch the snowflakes come down this morning. Our November meeting featured Joan Forgione of Paper Moon Knits. Joan’s website is papermoonknits.com. If you look her up on Ravelry she has specials for a free pattern if you purchase 4 (so one free with 4 downloads) as well as links to join her newsletter or do some test knitting. Joan shared her thoughts on entering your stash yarn into Ravelry – which would be a great help when yarn shopping to reference what you already have! She also shared how to determine the yardage of your partial skeins so that you know in front of casting on whether you are going to be playing yarn chicken on a project. Joan has given MKG members all a discount code for a free pattern download from Ravelry – log into your MKG website access and the code is on the top of the dashboard.

For our December meeting, when you are on the dashboard make sure that you download the attachments from Steven Be for our December meeting – Unlock Your Creative Potential and Embrace your Fiber Future! Steven will be hosting a trunk show at 6:30 prior to the meeting that starts at 7:00 pm on Tuesday, December 17th. Hope to see you online!

Here are some volunteer opportunities and events that are coming up in December.

Remember to check the Guild’s calendar for all upcoming events!

Knitters are needed to demonstrate knitting and making Pom-poms at the Textile Center Holiday Gallery shop:

Saturday, December 7th – 10 am to Noon. 2-3 members are needed – the table will be set up for you on Friday afternoon, you just need to come and enjoy some holiday fun! (and of course shopping!) To register for a volunteer shift, log into the MKG website using your ID and password. The link is in the middle of the screen with a direct link for registration.

Questions? Email president@knitters.org

Check out https://knitters.org/service-knitting/ for everything you need to know about our 2024 partners, items we’re knitting, and where to drop off your finished items.

Upcoming Sip and Knit dates at Venn Brewing:

drawing of a pint of beer, coffee cup, donuts, yarn, and knitting needles.

Come and join us December 7th from 10:00am to noon for coffee, beer, donuts, and crafting with friends!

Food & Drink: Venn has espresso drinks, coffee, tea, soda, and juice, as well as beer for purchase. You can bring in your own water. The Guild will be bringing donuts. You are welcome to bring other food as well.

Getting There: The Blue Line 46th Street Station is just outside the brewery. It just down Hwy 55 from Minnehaha Falls and the Grand Rounds bike path. There are Venn specific parking spots to the north of the building and on-street parking.

You can also park at the Fort Snelling Park and Ride and take the Blue Line north 3 stops.

Dogs: Dogs are welcome.

Thanks to Venn Brewing for hosting us!

Knitting Around Town

drawing of a sheep knitting

Guild members on the move! Let’s visit a new library in the metro area each month to get together and knit!

Friday, December 6th from 1 pm to 4 pm – in the library or community room # 4 at Textile Center

Textile Center, 3000 University Avenue SE, Minneapolis, MN

Knitting Around Town at Harvest Hills Acres:

Saturday, December 14th from 10 am to 1 pm at Harvest Hills Acres

Join the Minnesota Knitters Guild at Harvest Hill Acres on Saturday, December 14th from 10 am to 1 pm. Have some lovely pastries, meet the sheep that make the yarn and enjoy knitting with others in the Farm Yarn Store. This event will be limited to 20 people. Please register here as it is limited to 20 individuals for this event. The address and link for directions are included in the website link to register.

2024 Give to the Max Day! THANK YOU!

Thank you to all the members who participated in our 2024 Give to the Max Day campaign to support the ongoing costs to support the Minnesota Knitters Guild. We appreciate your generosity and everything our members do!

Wishing you all a very Happy Thanksgiving as you enjoy the time with your friends and family.

Cheers –

Meg Schmidt Duncan

President, Minnesota Knitters Guild

 

 

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Our spinning demonstrations are sponsored by Get Bentz Farm. 

Theresa Bentz of Get Bentz Farm, Northfield, MNAfter growing up in the city and suburbs, the owners of Get Bentz Farm felt a need to be closer to nature and to be more connected to where their food came from. 

In 2014, they found a farm house for sale and later that year they decided on and purchased their first two Icelandic sheep. 

Once they had a good size flock they began marketing the amazing meat and wool. Initially, they found that many mills in the area do not process dual coated long wools, which slowed down their growth in yarn, but they did find a great market for wool filled bedding products and batting for spinning. 

Today, they have a variety of yarns, batting and roving as well as finished products like dryer balls, sheepskins, and wool bedding. Most recently, they opened their own Get Bentz Wool Mill as well as their own line of yarn – Badgerface Fiber.

Jean

Vice President

(Term 1, Year 1)

Jean Gross has had an interest in all things fiber since, at the age of 5, her mother gave her fabric scraps to keep her occupied. She is fluent in knitting, crocheting, tatting, embroidery, sewing, quilting and spinning, thanks to her mother, Janice, and grand mother, Clara. But Jean’s favorite thing to do with fiber is help others to explore its possibilities. She has taught at the Iowa State Fair, Des Moines Library, Freedom for Youth, the Des Moines Knitting Guild, Shepherds Market, local yarn shops and also teaches privately. Jean has served on several non-profit boards including FiberSmiths of Iowa and the Des Moines Knitting Guild. Jean lives in north central Iowa with her husband, Dave, and faithful canine, Rolo. She has published several knitting patterns.

Thyra

Marketing Director

I grew up watching my mom knit. She tried to teach me as a kid and I never enjoyed it, but after finishing college I found myself with extra time and no hobbies. In the last 20 years I have dove in all the way and love to learn new and challenging techniques. As my fiber love has grown, I have also started raising sheep in order to go from sheep to sweater. I love interacting with the sheep who have big personalities and learning to process and spin the wool has been a great adventure.

Open Position

Yarnover Committee Chair

The Guild is currently looking for a new Yarnover Chair. If you are interested or have any questions, please contact our president Meg, president@knitters.org

Currently Open

Marketing Director

The marketing director position is currently open. For more information contact the Guild President, president@knitters.org

Melissa

Technology Director

(Term 1, Year 3)

Melissa has been knitting for 15 years. She loves socks and sweaters. She is a new member who hopes to use her marketing background to lift up the MKG. While she isn't local to MN, she really loves the atmosphere created by the Guild. Melissa and significant other Al enjoy traveling, wherein Al graciously offers to drive so Melissa can knit in the passenger seat. (she, her, hers)

Nikky

Membership/Programming Director

(Term 2, Year 2)

Nikky was first introduced to knitting in 2012 when her visiting sister-in-law taught her the basics of casting on and the knit stitch. A few weeks later, she learned how to purl from her mother-in-law. From there, it quickly became a passion and she has taken on each new project with a desire to expand her skill and discover new techniques. She loves a good mystery (knit-a-long) and knits way more shawls than a single person can wear in a month.

Deb

Service Director

(Term 1, Year 1)

Deb learned to knit in the early 1980s as a happy by-product of Hill Street Blues fandom. For a couple of years, she and a gaggle of other students met weekly to watch the show, and one of those friends was always knitting. As it is with so many knitters, that friend was enthused to teach someone else. Deb has been knitting ever since and particularly enjoys playing with colorwork and knitting sweaters. She is constantly astonished at the skill, enthusiasm, and generosity of MKG members. (she, her, hers) (See our Service Knitting Page for more information about our current projects and donation process.)

Open Position

Programming Director

(3-year term)

This position is currently open. If you are interested in volunteering for the Guild board, please contact our president, Kelly, at the email me link below.

Rose

Treasurer

(Term 2, Year 3)

Rose learned to knit from her mother at the age of ten. She started knitting on the ends of small paint brushes. She continued to knit off and on through her teenage and young adult years and became a more avid knitter after taking a Norwegian sweater knitting class through community education. Today, knitting has become a passion and she knits for charity, herself, and her family her stash. She enjoys meeting other knitters and learning new techniques.

Kendra

Secretary

(Term 1, Year 2)

Kendra lives in the Twin Cities and learned to hand knit from her mother in middle school. In the last few years, she has also learned crochet and machine knitting. Kendra enjoys knitting items to donate and challenging herself with new techniques. She prefers knitting in the round with colorful yarn. (she, her, hers)

Meg

President

(Term 1, Year 1)

Meg grew up surrounded by makers. Her mom, a master quilter, former Home Ec teacher, and 4-H club leader in Duluth, taught her to sew, embroider, and cook. She won a trip to the State Fair as the Dress Review Princess at 13! Another MKG member taught her to knit continental style 15 years ago. Meg can’t sit still and NOT be knitting, embroidering, rug hooking or sewing. Favorite thing to knit? Mittens! She loves taking classes and learning new things – absolutely amazed and inspired by all the amazing knitters in the guild! (she, her, hers)

Kathy

Webmaster

Kathy has always been into crafts, but didn’t teach herself to knit until after college. She really got hooked while living in San Francisco when a friend opened a knitting store. To pitch in, Kathy started knitting up fun (and odd) things for window displays, as well as teaching classes. In the last couple of years, she has started designing her own knitting patterns (many of them available for free on Ravelry!) with toys and mittens being her primary obsessions. (she/her/hers)